Under the Needle

“I think a bad tattoo looks better than no tattoo”.

The process of getting a tattoo is to subject yourself to an intense pain, to inject a foreign substance into your body that will stay on your skin for the rest of your life. No matter what, you are altered from the experience, carrying around a permanent symbol that may carry immense meaning or may simply represent a momentary impulse. Under the Needle is a verbatim theatre project telling the real stories behind tattoos and the people who carry them. A diverse array of people were interviewed in the making of this project, to share why they chose to have specific images etched onto their skin and how their tattoos have affected their lives, body images, and relationships. From heartbreaking losses to historical legends to horrific regrets, Under the Needle presents the words of real people as they spoke them and expresses how tattoos are outward expressions of our inward selves.

Written by Emmett Hanly

Directed by Jessica Anne Nelson

Featuring Emily Schoen, S^yowah, and Emmett Hanly

Lighting Design by Christian Ching, Sound Design by Tyler Dumoulin, Stage Managment by Dmitri Morehouse.